Moruga pensioner Bernadette Guerrero had installed reinforced security doors at her home to keep out criminals.
Her family believes that when a fire broke out in her home on Friday morning, she became confused and was trapped inside.
When firefighters found her body in the bathroom, she was clutching the keys to the front door in her hand.
Seventy-six-year-old Guerrero lived alone after her husband passed away. Residents said they saw her house on fire just after midnight, but they were uncertain whether she was at home.
Residents said it took firefighters several minutes to force open the door to gain access to the house.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Guerrero’s daughter, Tiffany Guerrero-Mohammed, said her mother was a citizen of the United States and had lived there for more than 20 years. Her husband died in 2010, and she returned to Trinidad in 2013.
She said that just last year her mother returned to the US for a surgical procedure on her knee.
The daughter said relatives attempted to stay with her, but this failed as her mother accused them of stealing from her and made repeated reports to the police.
“My mother had a bit of paranoia. Both doors were security doors with eight locks each, and she had additional locks,” she said, adding, “I believe she was confused because she had the keys in her hand, but there were so many locks, and she had so many things in the house.”
Guerrero-Mohammed said that while she understood why her mother wanted the security doors, given the crime situation in the country, she advised people to ensure they have an escape plan in the event of a fire or any other emergency.
The daughter believes her mother, who had six children and 16 grandchildren, may have died from smoke inhalation, as there were no significant burns on her body.
An autopsy is expected to be carried out on Wednesday.
—SASCHA WILSON
